How to grow watercress ?

[oldog]

Does anyone have experience growing watercress? Cuttings from a bag from the supermarket rooted very easily in plain water no hormones but they didn't do well as I understand they need running water. Can you think of a simple setup? airoponics? or floating on a styrofoam raft with a tiny pump circulating the water ? I tried them in hydroton but they didn't like it.
They need horizontal space to spread when they grow. Ideas?

 

[MrFista]

Yep. I use a bed (1/2 a 44 gallon drum) with 3 - 4 inches scoria rocks to plant the cress in. Water from an aquarium runs through a sump to collect solids (a sponge filter or undergravel filter will do) then to the watercress bed and back to the aquarium.

To control insects (and diseases they bring) the sides of the bed are high with a water outlet high as well, this doubles as flood overflow too if the bottom blocks. The lower outlet is closed (put tap on it) and the bed is flooded overnight.

The best method is to harvest the watercress in the morning leaving 1/3rd of the plants to regenerate. Let plants heal for the day then flood them in the evening and release the water back the next morning while it is still cool. Watch for slugs 1/2 hour after initial flood if they are close to a side of the bed they will flee the flood then come back. All insects become fish food. The cress grows so fast you never get insect damage if you do this frequently. In summer I'm harvesting at least once a week. You can graze it daily but the flooding insect control is difficult with longer strands the tops float up and the insects climb up.

 

[blynx]

Sounds cool MrFista, any chance of some pics of your setup?

 

[I.M. Boggled]

Hydroponic Watercress

Hydroponic Watercress

Their are many interesting claimed benefits from eating watercress, such as that it acts as a stimulant, a source of phytochemicals and antioxidants, a diuretic, an expectorant, and a digestive aid.
It also appears to have anti-angiogenic cancer-suppressing properties; it is widely believed to help defend against lung cancer.
A 2010 study conducted by the University of Southampton found that consumption of watercress may also inhibit the growth of breast cancer.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watercress
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

I found this watercress crop outline that was (very well) written by Dr. Lynette Morgan and should be of some help in answering some basic general questions regarding growing the "superfood" watercress.
Nutrient Flow Technique (NFT) is most likely the best choice for a small personal grower of Watercress, at least that's what I would do.
Good Luck with your Watercress grow.
IMB

P.S.
This online temperature conversion link is for those of us that don't think in Celsius.
http://www.onlineconversion.com/temperature.htm

Hydroponic Watercress

There is not a great deal of information around on growing commercial hydroponic watercress, although the crop is relatively easy to produce and cultural conditions are similar to that of lettuce and other herbs.
This crop outline should help.

Climate
Watercress is fairly tolerant of a wide range of temperature conditions. However, it has two requirements for optimum growth: high quality water at a cool temperature of 12-20 deg. C combined with air temperatures in the 20-26 deg. C range day and 15-20 deg. C at night. Yields with hydroponic watercress crops grown under these conditions range from 1-1.6 kilograms per square meter per month. However, in the cooler conditions of winter when light levels are also low, production can drop to below 500 grams per square meter per month unless some form of environmental control and heating is used. For this reason, hydroponic watercress is often produced year round under crop protection structures or in greenhouses.

Temperatures below freezing and frosts will result in plant dieback, although crops will regenerate from underground root systems when conditions warm up again. The minimum temperature sustainable in a commercial operation is 10 deg. C.

Site
Watercress is found growing in open running watercourses or near cool, shallow springs, spring holes, and spring-fed stream margins. Wild watercress is different from cultivated watercress. Hydroponically grown watercress develops longer stems, larger leaves, and considerably more succulent growth than wild plants, which often struggle to obtain good nutrient levels. Wild watercress systems that rely on sustainable harvests from stream beds result in low yields of poorer quality product than hydroponically cultivated cress crops.

Where natural stream water is to be diverted, nutrient enriched, and fed through specially designed growing beds, resource consent may need to be obtained first. The nutrient solution should be recollected and recirculated in the growing beds so that it is not discharged back into the stream causing environmental pollution.

Cultivation
Watercress is fairly easy to cultivate. It prefers to grow in cool (12-18 deg. C) flowing water at various depths with partial shade in summer. Seeds can be purchased from garden centers and commercial vegetable seed suppliers in bulk quantities. Seeds should be sown into cell trays of media or cubes of inert media such as rockwool, which retain high moisture levels. Germination will occur in about 7-10 days. Seed should only be sprinkled on the surface of the media and lightly covered with clear plastic to retain moisture. Stems will also form roots at each of the nodes, so stem and root cuttings can be taken at any time of the year. For commercial cultivation, flowers should not be permitted to form as this results in bitter flavors developing in the plant foliage. Regular cutting for harvest will help ensure that the plants do not flower, but any flower stalks that do develop should be removed from mature plants to encourage further leaf development.

Hydroponic systems used for commercial watercress production are either based on large outdoor gravel beds or nutrient film technique (NFT) channels made form PVC gullies or plastic film. Outdoor gravel beds should be 15-20 cm deep, lined with plastic, and filled with at least 100 mm of free draining media, such as clean gravel or river sand. Nutrient solution is flooded into these beds several times a day with drainage occurring due to a fall of at least 1:100 down the bed. Nutrient is then pumped back to a holding tank ready for the next flood cycle.

Harvesting of watercress is carried out once per week under good growing conditions. At harvest, the plant should be cut back to half its size. This allows some leaf area to remain to support regeneration of the plant for the next harvest. Watercress plants will eventually need to be replaced after several cuts or harvests to maintain good yields.

Yields
500 g per square meter of growing bed per month under slow growing conditions (winter) is common. However, during summer, yields of 1.5-2 kg per square meter per month have been obtained from high yielding hydroponic systems in protected environments.

Pest and disease control is vital to obtain these types of yields. Pests such as caterpillars (white butterfly caterpillar) can reduce yields by 80 percent during certain times of the year.

Costs and Returns
Costs vary depending on which type of system and whether outdoor or greenhouse production is to be carried out. Outdoor, gravel bed systems with no crop protection still require a nutrient holding tank, pump, drainage and irrigation pipes, clean media, propagation materials, nutrients, and pest and disease control equipment. NFT systems in an environmentally controlled greenhouse are capital intensive but will produce higher yields year round. Production of watercress during the winter months often provides the highest return as there is little outdoor product available on the market. Equipment costs can be investigated by contacting a hydroponic supplier and obtaining a quote for the type of system required.

Watercress is not a high value crop unless markets can be obtained at the higher value end of the retail sector. Washed, prepared, and packaged watercress in supermarkets can receive good prices if it is of suitable quality. However, this market is limited to small volumes. Most fresh watercress is sold in bunches of 20-30 stems for $1-3, although prices can be higher in winter.

Commercial watercress growers should aim to sell some of their product into the higher value restaurant market, although obtaining these sales can take persistence. As a higher value product, watercress can be sold as a "living plant" if grown in hydroponic NFT system. These systems allow the entire plant--with the root system attached--to be harvested and packaged into special clamshell packages or plastic sleeves. Living plants or herbs are often sold in this way through supermarkets and fresh vegetable outlets for $2-4 each (season dependent).

Quality Control
Wild watercress or crop that was cultivated in stream beds with no additional fertilizer frequently suffers from potassium deficiency. Phosphate and iron deficiencies are also common. Symptoms of potassium deficiency are shown as marginal scorch of older leaves in this crop. Iron deficiency is common in winter under cool temperature conditions and shows as yellowing between the veins on the newer foliage.

Hydroponically grown watercress should not show any deficiencies as the nutrient solution used should contain all the nutrients required for growth in the correct ratios. Hydroponic growers should have a water analysis carried out and then have a watercress nutrient solution formulated for their particular crop and water supply. Nutrient solution and leaf mineral level analysis can be carried out for hydroponic watercress crops where nutritional problems are suspected. Generally, watercress does not have a high nutrient demand.

Harvesting
Plants can be harvested anywhere from 4-10 weeks after transplanting, depending on growing season. Plants raised in spring and summer should have sufficient foliage development for a small first harvest at 4 weeks. Winter grown crops can take 10 weeks before harvesting should begin. Watercress should be harvested with a sharp knife to slice cleanly through the stems. A sharp knife will lessen tissue damage to the plants and the harvested stems and prolong storage life. Harvest should be carried out early in the morning when temperatures are cooler and the plants turgid. Stem lengths of 15 cm are preferred. Bunches should be cut, bundled, and dead leaves and damaged stems removed. The harvested product should be placed into plastic bags as quickly as possible. Hydroponic watercress should not need washing if it has been grown under protected cultivation. Stream or wild watercress should always be thoroughly washed and rinsed to remove any contaminants that may be present. Watercress should be stored wrapped in plastic under refrigeration at 2-4 deg. C. Misting of the foliage will assist to retain storage life in a retail situation.

http://www.growingedge.com/community/archive/read.php3?c=GR&q=1005

 

[oldog]

I had given up on getting a reply ! Thanks lots to all .
Going to print off all this info and give it a slow read.
I didn't realise watercress was so healthy/beneficial ,
just been eating it because its tasty. The supermarket
one is usually beat up because its so delicate, and it goes off quickly. Hence a good reason to grow it myself.
Thanks again.

 

[MJBadger]

It dose`nt need water to grow in thats a misconception , the missus grew some last year after i built a 10in raised bed for her with a poly lining & punched a few drainage holes in it & + a light compost , we just made sure it was well watered & had more watercress than we needed . Rabbits like the stuff to .

Check out this link www.chilternseeds.co.uk , ship worldwide .

 

[MyGreenToe]

Yum, I love watercress. When I was young we had a spring fed stream near out house that had tons if it growing on the edges of the water. Such a great salad enhancer!

It is used a lot in aquaponics, since it is so well at home in such systems. Most AP folks grow it in beds; with gravel, hydroton, or a similar media. Constant flooding is the norm, or you can set up cycling with a bell siphon or a timed pump. While not absolutely necessary to keep it in an active system like that, it will do better for it. It's natural growing habitat is in the water, so it just makes sense to go active with it. It's happy with very low nute concentrations, similar to what most lettuces and greens would require.

Good luck with it, I hope you share pics of your setup once you get going.

Keep it Green
MGT

 

[oldog]

Well, I got this going with a length of guttering cut in half and
joined with sheet metal screws.... marine sealer held the dividers
which were cut with tin snips.... Bag of 'decorative gravel' ...
pump and timer from a failed flood and drain project, set for 1/2 hour every hour
( least it would do) tupperware from abandoned ezycloner. GH nutrients.
Found out there are 3 types of Cress- Garden cress , Upland cress and Watercress.
I used cuttings from a bag of supermarket watercress. Roots very easily , like Basil.
One photo shows purplish veins on mature plant- I think it was just getting too hot
here in the south in the summer so I've scrapped it till Autumn.
Might punch some holes in the bottom of the dividers, add some sand,
use a smaller pump and run it continuously. High evaporation from the cascading of
the water- had to refill the tank every day.
Lots and lots of green moss on the gravel - harmful ? solution ?

Cheers.

cress 2.jpgcress3.jpgcress left.jpgC U cress.jpg

 

[Madrus Rose]

Used to go out & pick watercress in the marshes ...

dad used to make "WaterCress & OxTail " stew which was a rarer event but
something you really got excited about . Meant a trip out to the marshes & get to play around plus the excitement of going out in nature & picking your fresh food ...and a chance to hang out with Dad of course who always taught "healthy living" since he grew up with jack la lane . Always added wheat germ to the pancake mix & whipped up the egg whites to make them fluffier & healthier .

That browned OxTail soup was to die for ...

 

[oldog]

Oxtail used to be a poor mans food like soup bones, now its a gourmet item and costs as much as sirloin steak , well, much more with the bones. Still absolutely delicious. Never heard of water cress with it -I'll try that. Oxtail is very popular in South Africa and Jamaica. Is the popularity there,from it being a traditional UK meal ? ie S.A. and Ja. were colonies ?